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Why can’t we go to jannah for free?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Askimam.org

 I get thoughts that there are so many people in the world – do I have to meet all of them?  What is the conclusion to the islamic religion?  Why do we have to go through hardships to get to jannah?  Why is it not free?  ALLAH is not in need so what is the reason for hardships?  How would one know if a thought was from an angel or satan or ALLAH?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

The answers to your questions are as follows:

1) I get thoughts that there are so many people in the world – do I have to meet all of them?

We are unable to understand the exact reason for such a doubt being instilled in your mind. As a matter of principle, Allāh Ta`ālā by His own will wished to create us all and diversify us with our personal and geographic differences. He the Almighty says in the Holy Qur’ān:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ وَأُنْثَى وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ 

O people! We have certainly created you from a single male and female (Ādam and Hawwā’) and made you into various nations and tribes so that you may recognize each other. Verily, the most honored of you in Allāh’s sight is the one with the most Taqwā (piety and righteousness). Allāh is certainly All Knowing, Informed.[1]

As stated in the verse above, the simple reason for our differences is for recognition and to differentiate one nation from another[2]; however, as outlined by Allāh Ta`ālā Himself, true recognition in the eyes of Allāh Ta’āla goes beyond such material things. The true scale used by Allāh Ta`ālā is the scale of taqwā; the more righteous his beloved servant is, the greater his status in front of his lord. Therefore, it is not necessary for one to worry about meeting everyone in this world. The purpose behind such diversity was only for recognition. Our duty is to focus on increasing our taqwā and fulfilling our Islamic obligations to Allāh Ta`ālā.

2) What is the conclusion to the Islamic religion?

Islam is a way of life designated for us by Allah the Almighty. He says in the Holy Qur’ān:

إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ

Verily, the only religion acceptable to Allāh is Islam.[3]

In another verse, He also states:

الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا

Today I have perfected your religion for you; I have completed My bounty upon you and chosen Islām as your way of life.[4]

As such, in this world there is no conclusion to the Islamic religion. It is a perpetual way of life for us to abide by in this transient world until we meet Allāh Ta`ālā himself.

3) Why do we have to go through hardships to get to jannah? Why is it not free? ALLAH is not in need so what is the reason for hardships?

Before answering your question, it is important to understand that as simple creations of Allāh the Almighty, we are unable to truly encompass divine truths and wisdoms behind the creation of the universe. We are only imparted the knowledge that is transmitted to us from His beloved messengers (`alayhimus salām).

Before the birth of humankind and Ādam (`alayhis salām) as their father, a discourse took place between Allāh the Almighty and His angels:

وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

(Remember) when your lord said to the angels, “I am about to place a deputy on Earth.” The angels said, “Will you place on Earth someone who will cause corruption there and spill blood, whereas we glorify Your praises and proclaim Your purity?” Allāh said, “Indeed, I know that which you do not know.”[5]

As one of the earliest creations of Allāh Ta`ālā, the angels were created for the sole purpose of worshipping Allāh Ta`ālā whilst residing in the upper realms within the heavens. It was Allāh the Almighty’s plan to bring another creation that had the capacity to surpass even the rank of the angels. While angels were created with the attribute of pure servitude to Allāh the Almighty, mankind was created with the attribute of freewill. Man was sent in a world where he would be tried and tested so that he can use this freewill and voluntarily turn towards Allāh the Almighty knowing that he has the ability to disobey Him. It is this inherent quality known as taklīf that potentially propels him past the level of angels and marks him as ashraf al-makhlūqāt (the most noble of all creations).[6] Put more simply, the ability to endure hardships in this world and take on life as a test from Allāh Ta`ālā is a distinguishing quality of mankind that makes them special in the eyes of Allāh Ta`ālā. Giving us a free ticket to jannah without any test would defeat the purpose of our creation. If such were the case, we would have never been brought into creation as the angels already exist as a creation given “a free ticket into jannah.”

Furthermore, allowing full entrance into jannah to any and all without distinguishing the evil ones from the good is against the divine attribute of `adal (justice). Is it fair that one who commits murder and spends his life as a thief is given the same treatment as the one who exercised self control and lived an honest life without infringing on the rights of others? Is it fair that those who disbelieve and commit evil deeds are granted entrance into paradise for doing absolutely nothing to earn it? Allāh Ta`ālā says in the Holy Qur’ān:

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَنْ يُتْرَكُوا أَنْ يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ، وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ، أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّئَاتِ أَنْ يَسْبِقُونَا سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ، مَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ اللَّهِ لَآتٍ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ،وَمَنْ جَاهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَاهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ

Do people think that they will be left to say, “We believe” without being tested? We certainly tested those before them, and Allāh will definitely know those who are true and He will definitely know those who are liars. Do those who do evil think that they can escape Us? Evil indeed is the decision they take. Whoever yearns to meet Allāh the term of Allāh will certainly arrive. And He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing. Whoever strives, strives only for himself (i.e. his own benefit), Allāh is independent of the entire universe.[7]

It should be clear from above that the divine plan for creation serves only to benefit us and does not benefit Allāh in the least. He is free from having such a need as He is independent and self-sufficient. We should be grateful to Allāh Ta`ālā for granting us an opportunity to struggle in this world so that we can attain his proximity in the hereafter.

فَمَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ وَمَنْ يُرِدْ أَنْ يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُ ضَيِّقًا حَرَجًا كَأَنَّمَا يَصَّعَّدُ فِي السَّمَاءِ كَذَلِكَ يَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ، وَهَذَا صِرَاطُ رَبِّكَ مُسْتَقِيمًا قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَذَّكَّرُونَ، لَهُمْ دَارُ السَّلَامِ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَهُوَ وَلِيُّهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

Whoever Allāh wishes to guide, He expands his bosom for Islam. Whoever He desires to send astray, He narrows and constricts his bosom as if he is (a person who is) climbing into the sky (having great difficulty breathing because of a lack of oxygen). Allāh places impurity (i.e. His punishment or curse) on those who do not have Imān. This is the straight path of your lord. We have certainly clarified the āyāt (verses or signs) for those who will pay attention to the advice. Theirs shall be an abode of peace by their lord (in Jannah) and He is their Protector because of the (good) works that they carried out (in the world).[8]

(4) How would one know if a thought was from an angel or satan or ALLAH?

In principle, any thought that is against or inconsistent with Sharī`ah is not from Allāh or His angels. Many times you may even experience thoughts that bring you to questioning divine concepts as well. You should understand fully that such thoughts are from the Shaytān and are a part of his plot to sway you away from this dīn and pull you towards the fire of jahannam.

May Allāh Ta`ālā save us all from the evils of Shaytān. Ameen.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Bilal Mohammad

Student Darul Iftaa
New Jersey, USA

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

www.daruliftaa.net


[1] Al-Qur’ān, 49:13

[2] يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْناكُمْ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ وَأُنْثى وَجَعَلْناكُمْ شُعُوباً وَقَبائِلَ لِتَعارَفُوا أَيْ لِيَحْصُلَ التَّعَارُفُ بَيْنَهُمْ كُلٌّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى قَبِيلَتِهِ، وقال مجاهد في قوله عز وجل لِتَعارَفُوا كَمَا يُقَالُ فُلَانُ بْنُ فُلَانٍ مِنْ كَذَا وَكَذَا أَيْ مِنْ قَبِيلَةِ كَذَا وَكَذَا، وَقَالَ سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ: كَانَتْ حِمْيَرُ يَنْتَسِبُونَ إِلَى مَخَالِيفِهَا، وَكَانَتْ عَرَبُ الْحِجَازِ يَنْتَسِبُونَ إِلَى قَبَائِلِهَا.

(تفسير ابن كثير، سورة الحجرات، آية ١٣)

[3] Qur’ān, 3:19

[4] Qur’ān, 5:3

[5] Al-Qur’ān, 2:30

[6] (وأفضل) جميع (الخلق)  أي المخلوقات (علي الإطلاق) المراد منه العموم الشامل للعلوية والسفلية من البشر والجن والمكل في الدنيا والآخرة…(نبينا) محمد صلي الله عليه وسلم…(والأنبياء) عليهم الصلاة والسلام…(يلونه) أي يتبعون نبينا محمد صلي الله عليه وسلم (في الفضل) فمرتبهم بعد مرتبه…(وبعدهم ملائكة ذو الفضل) فمرتبهم تلي مرتبة الأنبياء عليهم السلام في الجملة، فالملائكة ولو غير رسل أفضل من غير الأنبياء من البشر ولو كان وليا كأبي بكر و عمر رضي الله عنهما…وأبو عبد الله الحليمي في آخرين كالمعتزلة إلي أن الملائكة أفضل من الأبنياء….

قوله (الملائكة أفضل) قيل: لتجردهم عن الشهوات رد بأن وجودها مع قمعها أتم من باب أفضل العبادة أحمزها بحاء مهملة فزاي أي أشقها ألا تري أن الأقسام ثلاثة: شهوة محضة وهو البهائم، وعقل محض وهو الملائكة، والإنسان مركب منهما فكما أن غلبة الشهوة تنزله عن البهائم لعذرها بالعدم…كذلك غلبة العقل ترفعه عن الملائكة. قال السعد: ولا قاطع في هذه المقامات.

(إتحاف المريد شرح جوهرة التوحيد مع حاشية ابن الأمير، ص ٢٢١-٢٢٥، دار الكتب العلمية)

[7] Al-Qur’ān, 29:2-6

[8] Al-Qur’ān, 6:125-127

This answer was collected from Askimam.org, which is operated under the supervision of Mufti Ebrahim Desai from South Africa.

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